Councillors predict tax increase will be lower than 2.6% ahead of budget deliberations

Windsorites can expect improved public services in 2018, according tocouncillor Bill Marra, as he and his colleagues prepare to vote on this year's budget.

Budget deliberations begin at 1 p.m. Monday at city hall.

• 2.6% tax increase included in Windsor's 2018 budget

• Community groups hold town hall meeting ahead of 2018 budget

The draft budget from city administration calls for a tax increase of 2.6 per cent. Marra predicts the final result will be lower than that, but added it's not a matter of slashing spending.

"If you see that 2.6 per cent projected tax increase go down, it's not because we're cutting services," he explained. "It'll be because the majority of council may not embrace all of the improvement in services, so it's quite the contrary. It's a very different budget than what we've dealt with in recent years."

Ward 1 councillor Fred Francis is also confident the tax increase will be lower than expected.

"We've already received some supplemental reports with some new figures that show that number's already less, based on more concrete figures that we know now, rather than what we knew back in December, so the number's already less, and it's up to council to decide how far less we can take it from where it is right now," he explained.

Last budget before election

Unlike past years, two days of talks are scheduled, something Marra said will be "incredibly helpful."

This is the last budget before the municipal election in October.